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Ask Me Anything! (for prospective architecture students)

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Original post by BeckyBrown1
Wow, now that's a complete answer. I'm not particularly technical as you've probably guessed haha

It's a Samsung NP350V5C if that helps

Obviously it'd be great for it to last a while longer but as it was pretty cheap then I envisage it struggling through the next three years


Hmm, that's a pretty ok laptop actually, 6GB RAM is fine for the foreseeable future, and the CPU is also pretty good for a mid-range spec.

If you were inclined you could spring-clean your machine and see how much of an improvement it makes, if you back up all of your files, do a factory reset, clean out the aforementioned bloatware, re-install your software programs and copy your documents/music/videos back onto the harddrive you could see a nice improvement in speed.

Not to be patronising, but people who aren't "particularly technical" often end up with a lot of programs running in the background (which start automatically with your laptop) that takes up a lot of resources - things like auto-updaters and so on.

For example if you search "msconfig" in your start menu, and go to the "Startup" tab you'll probably see a huuuuge list of crap, of which you only need 7 or 8 actually running!

Personally I could see your machine lasting you through the first two years easily :smile: and you could always upgrade during the summer if you felt you needed the extra speed to avoid final-year frustrations!
Original post by Architecture-er
Hmm, that's a pretty ok laptop actually, 6GB RAM is fine for the foreseeable future, and the CPU is also pretty good for a mid-range spec.

If you were inclined you could spring-clean your machine and see how much of an improvement it makes, if you back up all of your files, do a factory reset, clean out the aforementioned bloatware, re-install your software programs and copy your documents/music/videos back onto the harddrive you could see a nice improvement in speed.

Not to be patronising, but people who aren't "particularly technical" often end up with a lot of programs running in the background (which start automatically with your laptop) that takes up a lot of resources - things like auto-updaters and so on.

For example if you search "msconfig" in your start menu, and go to the "Startup" tab you'll probably see a huuuuge list of crap, of which you only need 7 or 8 actually running!

Personally I could see your machine lasting you through the first two years easily :smile: and you could always upgrade during the summer if you felt you needed the extra speed to avoid final-year frustrations!



That sounds like a great idea, I'll definitely back-up my files and do a factory reset and see how that goes. Thank you so much for all your help!!
Original post by BeckyBrown1
That sounds like a great idea, I'll definitely back-up my files and do a factory reset and see how that goes. Thank you so much for all your help!!


Alrighty, good luck!

Just make sure you back up EVERYTHING, or at least know how you'll re-install software/games (particularly without your disc drive) since the factory reset does exactly what it says on the tin, resets your machine to as it was when you bought it. Ie everything will be gone from your laptop hard drives.

You'd better watch some youtube tutorials, there's plenty that will also show you how to clean up the bloatware your machine after resetting it as well :smile: typically it's fairly obvious what's useless crap, and if in doubt about a program just google it, and you can easily find out if it's bloatware or just some really obscure (but essential) background system program
bump cos you all spam threads like mofos
Original post by Architecture-er
bump cos you all spam threads like mofos


Where was your placement and how was it?

Sorry if this has been asked, I've only read the first page of this thread and didn't really see much (unless I'm blind :lol:)

Asking for a friend who's applying to Bath for archi :smile:
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Architecture-er
Note for people new to the TSR forums, if you quote this original post (using the button in the bottom-right) when asking your question then I'll get an alert, it'll mean I see your question far quicker :smile:

Summer exams are looming on the horizon, and there's a distinct smell of caffeine in the air...

Thankfully I'm on placement, and as such have nothing to do in my evenings! Therefore I invite everyone considering architecture and wondering about preparing for first year to AMA, and I'll do my best to help :biggrin:

Can't 'really' offer much in-depth knowledge about universities other than my own, but subject/career specific questions are a-ok. Additionally, if any other Part I/II/III students want their names listed here as sources of uni-specific help, then quote me and I'll add you onto the original post!


I'm an international student doing 2 baccalaureate this year. Looking to apply to study architecture next year in the UK, just not quite certain of where is best. I'm doing Physics, Maths, Technical Drawing and history as an addition. As I've already been recommended Sheffield and Leeds Beckett, what's the architecture course like in each one respectively?
Original post by benfrank12
I'm an international student doing 2 baccalaureate this year. Looking to apply to study architecture next year in the UK, just not quite certain of where is best. I'm doing Physics, Maths, Technical Drawing and history as an addition. As I've already been recommended Sheffield and Leeds Beckett, what's the architecture course like in each one respectively?


Well like I said in the post you quoted, I can't offer specific advice about universities other than Bath, the one I've been to! I'm only a student, and I simply wouldn't be able to do sufficient research about each course to offer a solid opinion :smile:

My advice would be to find examples of their student work online, and read their course prospectuses (should have them on their university faculty websites) - in an ideal world each student would develop independent of their tutors styles, but inevitably every university produces a definite style of work, which gives a good insight into what they'd be pushing you towards!

For example if a university includes a lot of examples of installation work, and abstract pieces you can assume they're more artistic and abstract in their teaching (eg UCL) whereas students at a very technical place like Bath produce final work that includes a lot of detailing, and visuals of completed buildings in real-life settings

If you were wondering more about the quality of teaching, you're best off trying to find people who've studied there, TSR has a portal where you can find other members that have gone to various universities - perhaps directly messaging some of them will give you more in-depth answers :smile:
Original post by Bude8
Where was your placement and how was it?

Sorry if this has been asked, I've only read the first page of this thread and didn't really see much (unless I'm blind :lol:)

Asking for a friend who's applying to Bath for archi :smile:


It was bloody quality mate :biggrin:

Well it's split into two segments, so I did a placement in 2nd year's second semester, and the same in 3rd year. Students have to organise it all themselves, though the faculty forwards on any job offers that come directly to them, so a few students will pick up jobs that way

Having two 6-month placements is kind of a pain, because you need to find houses to rent at uni for just 6 months, or find people to sub-let in february (there are a few courses that move back to bath for the 2nd semester so you can swap with quite a few people) - and it means the uni siphons more money from you because you pay half fees whilst you're on placement, so a total of 6 semesters at uni and 2 semesters on placement, rather than a typical uni set-up which is just 6 semesters paid at uni.

But you leave university with far superior work than other universities that churn out students without any industrial experience, you learn a huge amount about what is really important, where to cut corners, how to design a rough idea and then crystallise it, etc etc. Plus having two split placements means you get a LOT of contacts in the architectures world very early on, and since architects move around a lot you end up having contacts in 5-7 different practices several years later!
For example I worked with someone in my second placement who since set up his own practice, and I know I could always drop back and walk into a job with him, provided he was looking for someone, if I had to! :biggrin:
Original post by Architecture-er
Note for people new to the TSR forums, if you quote this original post (using the button in the bottom-right) when asking your question then I'll get an alert, it'll mean I see your question far quicker :smile:

Summer exams are looming on the horizon, and there's a distinct smell of caffeine in the air...

Thankfully I'm on placement, and as such have nothing to do in my evenings! Therefore I invite everyone considering architecture and wondering about preparing for first year to AMA, and I'll do my best to help :biggrin:

Can't 'really' offer much in-depth knowledge about universities other than my own, but subject/career specific questions are a-ok. Additionally, if any other Part I/II/III students want their names listed here as sources of uni-specific help, then quote me and I'll add you onto the original post!


Hey....I was applying to a school for a masters degree in architecture and I was asked to provide a letter of intent. I googled but I have very differnt answers and I'm not sure which one exactly the school would want.....I need some help please.
Original post by Ejiga Jemima
Hey....I was applying to a school for a masters degree in architecture and I was asked to provide a letter of intent. I googled but I have very differnt answers and I'm not sure which one exactly the school would want.....I need some help please.


Huh no idea, I guess I'd interpret it as you having to send them a letter outlining exactly when you want to start, what your grades are, etc etc.. at least that's what a letter of intent is, a document that confirms you want to enter into a contract at some point in the future

As to why they'd want one though, I have no idea, I would've thought you had already told them everything they needed as part of your application - maybe you should just ask them to clarify?
Thanks, at least I have an idea to work around, I'll call them during the week to ask
Original post by Architecture-er
Note for people new to the TSR forums, if you quote this original post (using the button in the bottom-right) when asking your question then I'll get an alert, it'll mean I see your question far quicker :smile:

Summer exams are looming on the horizon, and there's a distinct smell of caffeine in the air...

Thankfully I'm on placement, and as such have nothing to do in my evenings! Therefore I invite everyone considering architecture and wondering about preparing for first year to AMA, and I'll do my best to help :biggrin:

Can't 'really' offer much in-depth knowledge about universities other than my own, but subject/career specific questions are a-ok. Additionally, if any other Part I/II/III students want their names listed here as sources of uni-specific help, then quote me and I'll add you onto the original post!


This might sound a bit odd (but you did say we could ask anything) but I am doing Product Design 3D at AS and I am making a storage product for 'art' equipment (i.e. pencils, pens, rubbers, paint et al.). As part of my design investigation, I need to find out what type of equipment other people use, and who better to ask than an architecture student!

My question is, could you possibly take a picture of your desk as if it were an 'average day in the office' (to sort of prove I haven't just made this all up) and say what equipment you use (e.g. 5H pencils, 0.1mm pen, drawing board, set square etc, in case its not in the photo/ hard to see), how you store these already (e.g. pencil case, tin, ArtBin box) and any issues you have with the use of this equipment (e.g. does not fit in bag, drawing board difficult to carry/ put away, storage not protective enough).

P.S. Sorry to have such an annoying question! :colondollar:
Original post by Banterlopes
This might sound a bit odd (but you did say we could ask anything) but I am doing Product Design 3D at AS and I am making a storage product for 'art' equipment (i.e. pencils, pens, rubbers, paint et al.). As part of my design investigation, I need to find out what type of equipment other people use, and who better to ask than an architecture student!

My question is, could you possibly take a picture of your desk as if it were an 'average day in the office' (to sort of prove I haven't just made this all up) and say what equipment you use (e.g. 5H pencils, 0.1mm pen, drawing board, set square etc, in case its not in the photo/ hard to see), how you store these already (e.g. pencil case, tin, ArtBin box) and any issues you have with the use of this equipment (e.g. does not fit in bag, drawing board difficult to carry/ put away, storage not protective enough).

P.S. Sorry to have such an annoying question! :colondollar:


Hmm, well typically my desk is my computer and keyboard these days, very little sketching done in a work environment..! This is a pic from a while back though



Typically my architect 'kit' consists of:

Pencil set ranging 7H-7B
Assorted biros, fine liners and thick black pens (great for sketching on trace paper)
Fat coloured pens for site diagrams

Scale rulers
Steel rulers
Set square

roll of cheap tracing paper (copious)
sketchbook
etc etc

I'd say the most problematic thing is keeping track of the myriad pens and which ones are running low, I always end up with 4/5 pens without ink that float around getting in the way
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Architecture-er
Hmm, well typically my desk is my computer and keyboard these days, very little sketching done in a work environment..! This is a pic from a while back though



Typically my architect 'kit' consists of:

Pencil set ranging 7H-7B
Assorted biros, fine liners and thick black pens (great for sketching on trace paper)
Fat coloured pens for site diagrams

Scale rulers
Steel rulers
Set square

roll of cheap tracing paper (copious)
sketchbook
etc etc

I'd say the most problematic thing is keeping track of the myriad pens and which ones are running low, I always end up with 4/5 pens without ink that float around getting in the way


Thank you so very, very much!!
Reply 214
Avatar for Ririii
Ririii
Hey :smile: just asking what if j dint take physics in high school and the school went to dint have art but im good in art ... And i dint do A levels ..is it possible to study architecture?? Or?? And what choices do i have?? Help please im really into architecture 😥😥❤️
Original post by Architecture-er
Note for people new to the TSR forums, if you quote this original post (using the button in the bottom-right) when asking your question then I'll get an alert, it'll mean I see your question far quicker :smile:

Summer exams are looming on the horizon, and there's a distinct smell of caffeine in the air...

Thankfully I'm on placement, and as such have nothing to do in my evenings! Therefore I invite everyone considering architecture and wondering about preparing for first year to AMA, and I'll do my best to help :biggrin:

Can't 'really' offer much in-depth knowledge about universities other than my own, but subject/career specific questions are a-ok. Additionally, if any other Part I/II/III students want their names listed here as sources of uni-specific help, then quote me and I'll add you onto the original post!


Hi, can I just ask you, how did you know architecture was right for you? As I am good at maths, physics and art and have applied for architecture but am worried that I have chosen something which I will have to work very hard for and worried I wont be able to handle it.
Any of your thoughts?
Reply 216
Avatar for Ririii
Ririii
Hey what if i dint take physics in high school and the school i went to dint have art but im good in art .. And i dint do A levels ..Would it be possible for architecture?? Or? ... And whats choices do i have ?? Please help im really into architect 😥
Original post by theartychild
Hi, can I just ask you, how did you know architecture was right for you? As I am good at maths, physics and art and have applied for architecture but am worried that I have chosen something which I will have to work very hard for and worried I wont be able to handle it.
Any of your thoughts?


Hmm I didn't really..! I just wanted to study something that was in an interesting profession, with skills that would give me the freedom to work in multiple countries

I think architecture benefits from having quite a closed door to outside competition (that is it's quite hard for non-architects to compete with you for jobs), but has quite a big problem with justifying its value to clients, hence architects don't command salaries equal to similarly qualification-intensive professions
Original post by Ririii
Hey what if i dint take physics in high school and the school i went to dint have art but im good in art .. And i dint do A levels ..Would it be possible for architecture?? Or? ... And whats choices do i have ?? Please help im really into architect 😥


Universities don't have specific subject criteria, but if you don't have an A-level in Art then most universities will ask you to submit a portfolio to prove you have artistic ability.

However whilst universities don't demand specific subjects, they will prefer candidates that have a range of subjects in humanities, science and art to demonstrate a well-rounded skillset, so applicants with Maths, Statistics and Further Maths would be less attractive than someone with Geography, Art and Maths, for example
Reply 219
Avatar for Ririii
Ririii
Thank youuuu 😊😊😊

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